This application is a proposal for a career development program for pediatric endocrinologists, designed to provide multidisciplinary training in diabetes research at The Barbara Davis Center (BDC), The University of Colorado School of Medicine (UC SOM) and the wider Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC). The proposal's rationale is: 1) there is a critical shortage of pediatric endocrinologists in the country, particuarly those trained and experienced in type 1 diabetes research 2) Diabetes is an increasingly significant healthcare problem in the pediatric population with devastating consequences from a personal and health economics viewpoint 3) Current rapid advances in diabetes investigation calls for an increased pool of physician scientists trained in clinical, biochemical, epidemiological, and behavioral research to carry out basic and translational research in pediatric type 1 and type 2 diabetes to bring advances in diabetes research to the clinical arena. The Barbara Davis Center has extensive and a proven record in research training of young investigators. The BDC and AMC have a well -established network of investigators working in the epidemiology, immunobiology, genetics, and molecular biology of type 1 diabetes, as well as the abnormal pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. This network of experienced mentors is ideally suited to develop the next generation of young pediatric endocrinologists into independent diabetes investigators in high impact type 1 diabetes research. Areas of research focus within The Barbara Davis Center include islet cell physiology, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, the autoimmunity, prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes, and the epidemiology, prevention and improved treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. These areas of research are urgently needed and have been identified as important to the national public health to address the epidemic of diabetes in the US. This application is enhanced by the NIH supported Colorado Clinical and Translational Research Institute (CCTSI), Pediatric and Adult Clinical Translational Research Centers, as well as a strong Masters of Science in Public Health Program and in Clinical Science and PhD programs in the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH) and within the CCTSI. This application has the support of the Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, The CSPH, and The Children's Hospital of Denver. The ability to provide strong didactic coursework in statistics, epidemiology, research methods, ethics and regulation of human research, medical writing, biochemistry, pharmacokinetics and molecular biology, as well as human medical genetics and molecular genetics through the CCTSI, the BDC, the Program in Human Genetics and the cSPH, combined with a strong mentoring faculty at the BDC and UCSOM will allow us to provide the career development for young pediatric endocrinologists producing independent investigators, capable of competing for funding in high quality diabetes research. Other programs within UC SOM that are supportive of this program include the Program in Human Genetics, The Immune Tolerance Network, the Autoimmune Prevention Center and Children's Hospital Research Institute. PERFORMANCE SITE(S) (organization, city, state) The University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Denver, Colorado KEY PERSONNEL. Name: Klingensmith, Georgeanna Organization: Barbara Davis Center, University of Colorado Denver Role on Project: Program Director PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Our NIDDK Career Development Program "Developing Pediatric Diabetes Investigators for the Future" will be conducted at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus. Our PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE is to develop junior faculty in Pediatric Endocrinology into highly qualified physician scientists, who are well grounded in basic and translational science research skills required for advancing the field of knowledge in type 1 diabetes and are educated in collaborative and integrated approaches for translating basic discoveries in type 1 diabetes into opportunities for advancing clinical research and care. Our OVERALL GOAL is that after their training, our Scholars will have acquired the professional skills for productive academic research careers as independent investigators and will have the leadership capacity to make significant impacts in the field of type 1 diabetes.